The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season isn’t just a battle of drivers—it’s a clash of new machines. Ford and Toyota have rolled out aggressive updates to their Cup cars, with the Mustang Dark Horse and Camry XSE looking to dethrone the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. While Chevy’s ZL1 remains the standard, boasting three consecutive manufacturers’ titles, its rivals are determined to shake things up. But, results at the Atlanta Motor Speedway have raised more questions than answers. Ford’s superspeedway dominance in qualifying didn’t translate to victory, while Toyota, seemingly an afterthought, pulled off a surprise win with Christopher Bell.

As teams dissect what went wrong—and right—Bell himself is left puzzled by Ford’s speed and Toyota’s unexpected triumph. He probably couldn’t understand the recipe there. Bell spoke in a podcast and revealed his thoughts.

Christopher Bell wraps his head around Ford’s superspeedway performance at Atlanta

Fresh off his Atlanta victory, Christopher Bell sat down with Kevin Harvick on the Happy Hour Podcast. He broke down his win and the unexpected events at the superspeedway. Despite Ford’s dominance in qualifying, Toyota stole the show on race day. Bell, who started 32nd, questioned the correlation between qualifying speed and race performance. During the conversation, Harvick asked Bell if he ever doubted Toyota’s handling package after their poor qualifying performance.

Bell admitted, “I don’t really know what to think of the correlation between qualifying speed and how your car races.” He referenced 2022 when Christopher Bell himself in the Toyota swept pole positions at Talladega. However, he struggled during the race and eventually finished 22nd.

Chevrolet did bag 6 of the top 10 positions while Toyota and Ford managed to grab 2 apiece. Ford finished lower overall than Toyota despite their reputation at Superspeedways. This left him puzzled about how to interpret Ford’s qualifying dominance and eventual result at Atlanta.

Ford had swept the front row for five consecutive Atlanta races. Nine of their drivers qualified in the top 10. On the other hand, Toyota was nearly an afterthought, with Bubba Wallace as their best qualifier in 14th. It looked like another Ford victory either for one of the top four qualified Ford drivers – Blaney, Logano, or Cindric. Despite these stats, Ford failed to convert their speed into race-day success. Bell’s 32nd-place starting position made his eventual win even more remarkable.

Bell pointed out that by the end of the race, the running order didn’t reflect qualifying results. “At the end of the race, you had myself and Ross Chastain restarting in the front two rows and we qualified, both of us, in the 30s,” he noted. Meanwhile, Ford’s top qualifiers like Joey Logano and Michael McDowell couldn’t capitalize on their strong starting positions. The final lap drama did play a role in Toyota’s success.

Bell took advantage of the chaos as Josh Berry crashed, which brought out the caution in the race’s final moments. He executed a decisive move to overtake Kyle Larson, earning himself the victory. Bell’s win came just a day after NASCAR race control controversially chose not to throw a caution for a major last-lap crash in the Xfinity Series.

Reflecting on the race, Bell admitted, “I genuinely don’t know what to think,” as he processed how Toyota turned the tables on Ford’s early dominance.

Trending

1

Kyle Larson Cleared of Guilt by NASCAR Veterans Despite Austin Cindric’s Atlanta Callout

2

Former Boss Rick Hendrick Delivers Bold Message to New Rival Owners to Show That ‘He Ain’t Concerned’

3

Richard Petty’s Iconic Manufacturer to Return as American Muscle ‘Dodges’ Japanese Giant Rumors, Claims Insider

4

‘Selfish’ Kyle Larson Confirms Harsh Feelings on Daytona After Ending Miserable NASCAR Run in Atlanta

5

Historic Short Track Dominated by NASCAR Icons, Set to Be Sold in Major Ownership Shakeup

Can Toyota replicate its Atlanta success at the Circuit Of The Americas?

Notably, NASCAR heads to the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on March 3rd. Toyota has had a notable presence at COTA. Drivers like Tyler Reddick (2024 winner) have showcased their skills on the challenging road course. The brand’s adaptability to the unique demands of COTA has given them a fighting chance to capitalize on any opportunities that arise during the race.

Ford has historically performed well at COTA, with several drivers achieving strong finishes in past races. The Blue Oval’s ability to qualify at the front of the pack has often translated into solid race performances. With the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse making its debut, expectations are high for the team to continue their trend of success. They will likely challenge for the top spots on race day and the qualifying too.

Heading into the race at COTA, the anticipation is palpable, particularly with the recent performance of both Toyota and Ford. Introducing restyled bodies for their Cup Series racers adds a fresh dynamic. As teams analyze their strategies, it’s intriguing how the evolving circumstances affect the race. Plus, it will be interesting to see which drivers from either of the two factions can emerge victorious.

While we focus on Toyota and Ford’s battle for supremacy, the question lingers: could Chevrolet, with its strong track record and formidable drivers, come out on top once again? Chevrolet won in 2023 with William Byron and earned 4 out of the top 5 positions in the 2024 race with drivers like Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman, Ross Chastain, and William Byron.

As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on all three manufacturers, making for an exciting race at COTA.